Project Grant 2605664

The National Science Foundation Division of Engineering Education and Centers awarded the University of Cincinnati's Sponsored Research Services Division $200,000 on September 15, 2026, for a Research Initiation in Engineering Formation (RIEF) project developing and evaluating a scalable learning framework that teaches undergraduate engineering students to use artificial intelligence as a disciplined partner in geotechnical engineering reasoning rather than as a shortcut to answers.

The project addresses a critical gap in engineering education: students encounter AI tools before learning to critically evaluate their outputs, verify their accuracy, or reason about uncertainty in their recommendations. This challenge is particularly acute in geotechnical engineering, where subsurface conditions are inherently variable, field data are often limited, and small changes in assumptions substantially affect the safety, cost, and reliability of designs. The framework will train students to reason about uncertainty in geotechnical design, critically evaluate AI-assisted analyses, and develop, justify, and communicate engineering design decisions for responsible professional practice.

The project aligns with the RIEF program's goal of establishing a mentored engineering education research agenda for a geotechnical engineering faculty member while investigating how undergraduate students develop the professional judgment, ethical responsibility, and digital competence needed to thrive in an AI-enabled engineering workforce. Performance occurs in Cincinnati, Ohio, with a period of performance through August 31, 2028.